Illuminating device



Nov. 9, 1965 J. K. RYAN ,153

ILLUMINA'IING DEVICE Filed Jan, 14, 1965 FIGJ INVENTOR. 50 JOSEPH K.RYAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,217,153 ILLUMINATING DEVICE JosephK. Ryan, 7815 McNulty Ave., Canoga Park, Calif.

Filed Jan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 251,272 4 Claims. (Cl. 2406.4)

The present invention relates to an illuminating device and, moreparticularly, to a device for illuminating tables and printed materialin dimly lit rooms.

Many restaurants employ a candle lamp on each table because the lampsare decorative and afford some limited illumination. However, it haslong been a problem to read a menu in such a restaurant. When individualtables are set up in the dining area, it is not the usual practice tosupply electrical wiring to each table. Therefore, it is necessary tohave a portable lamp with its own power source. This is another reasonfor the popularity of candle lamps.

Therefore, it is one of the objects of the present invention to providea candle lamp having a separate, extensible electric lamp attachedthereto which may be scanned back and forth over a menu to facilitatethe reading thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a candle lamphaving a base adapted to house battery means for electrically connectinga lamp to the base in such a manner that the electric lamp may beemployed to read menus in dimly lit restaurants.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lamp having aunique light diffuser which adapts the lamp to the reading of menus indimly lit areas without annoying other diners.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lamp of the typedescribed having means which prevent the lamp from being illuminatedexcept when it is in position for scanning reading material.

According to the present invention, a candle lamp is provided with ahollow base in which conventional drycell or mercury-type batteries maybe housed. A lamp is connected to the batteries through an extensible,electrical cord. In one embodiment of the present invention, the lamphead includes an apertured plate which restricts the light emanatingfrom the lamp. In another embodiment, a mercury-type switch is employedin such a manner that the lamp cannot be turned on except when it is ina reading position. A bracket may be attached to the base of the candlelamp and'suitable means may be provided on the lamp head to attach it tothe brackets. When the electric lamp is detached from the bracket, theextensible cord permits the lamp to extend over a menu or other printedmaterial to be read.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front, elevational View, partially in cross section,showing an illuminating device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, ofone of the electrical lamp heads of FIG- URE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view, with parts shown in elevation, of amodified lamp head.

Referring again to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, anilluminating device constituting one embodiment of the presentinvention, generally desig- 3,217,153 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 "ice nated10, includes a candle lamp 12 having a body portion 14 and a chimney 16.

The body portion 14 includes an upper, cylindrical chamber 18 whichhouses a candle 20 and which includes a flared, open top 22 receivingthe chimney 16. The body portion 14 also includes a base 24 which housesa pair of batteries 26 and electrical terminals 28 and 30.

A plurality of internally threaded connectors 32 may be rigidly afiixedto the base 24 in circumferentially spaced relation to threadedly engagea plurality of externally threaded, tubular brackets 34 which extendupwardly and outwardly from the base 24. The upper ends of the tubularmembers 34 have external threads 36 which threadedly engage the internalthreads 38 of hook members 40. The hooks 40 are adapted to receivesimilar hooks 42 rigidly affixed to the housing 44 of a menureadingelectric lamp 46. Each housing 44 includes a frusto-conical,encompassing sidewall 48 in which a grommet 50 is mounted. A firstannular plate 52 is mounted in the forward end of housing 44 andincludes a plurality of apertures 54 through which light from anelectric lamp or bulb 56 may pass. The lamp 56 is mounted in a socket 58which, in turn, is secured by means of a bracket 68 to the inside ofhousing 44.

A second plate 62 is mounted in the other end of housing 44 and supportsa push-button type switch 64. The switch 64 includes a first terminal 66which is connected to the terminal 28 in base 24 by means of a lead 68.A second terminal 70 on switch 64 is connected to the socket 58 by alead 72 and a bracket 74. A lead 76 connects the lamp 56 with theterminal 30 in base 24.

In use, the candle lamp 12 may be placed on a table in a restaurant aspart of its decorative decor. A diner desiring to read a menu, removesthe electric lamp 46 from tubular support 34 and moves it into positionover the menu to be read. The flexible nature of leads 68 and 76 permitsthe lamp to be extended across a table for ease in scanning a menu withlamp 46.

As lamp 46 is scanned across a menu, switch 64 is activated to completea circuit through batteries 26 and illuminate electrical bulb 56 whichdirects a beam of light through the apertures 54 onto the menu. Theplate 52 blocks most of the light from bulb 56, but sufficient lightwill pass through the apertures to facilitate reading a menu without anydanger of stray beams of light irritating other diners at the same oradjacent tables.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, a modified lamp head 46a is shown wherein thepush button switch 64 is replaced with a mercury-type switch 64a whichis positioned within lamp head 46a by means of a bracket 60a in such amanner that bulb 56 can only be illuminated when lamp head 46a is heldin a menu-reading position. This is an important feature of theinvention because it prevents the bulb 56 from casting a light beamabout the room to annoy fellow diners. The housing 44a is offrusto-conical shape and is modified in such a manner that-bulb 56extends through an aperture 54a in end plate 52a so that the lamp head46a will not lie flat on a table with switch 64a activated. Thus, bulb56 will tip head 46a sufliciently to deactivate switch 64:: andextinguish bulb 56 when lamp head 46a is unattended. Also, thefrustoconical shape of housing 44a causes the lamp head 46a to assumethe position shown in broken lines in FIG- URE 3.

The switch 64a may be cushioned in a resilient, plastic member and isconnected to bulb 56 through a lead 72a, a bracket 74a and the socket58. A lead 68:: may be employed to connect switch 64a to terminal 28 anda lead 76a may be employed to connect bulb 56 with terminal 30.

While the particular illuminating devices herein shown and described indetail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing theadvantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they aremerely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of theinvention and that no limitations are intended to the details ofconstruction or design herein shown other than as defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A candle lamp comprising: I a body portion havinga hollow base and an open top; a candle mounted in said open top forilluminating the area immediately adjacent said lamp; a plurality ofupstanding members rigidly aflixcd to said base and circumferentiallyspaced therearound; an electric lamp removably connected to each of saidupstanding members, each said lamp including an open ended housing, anelectric light bulb mounted in said housing for directing a beam oflight out said open end onto a menu to be read, an apertured platemounted in said open end adjacent the end of said bulb for confiningsaid beam of light to an area adjacent said open end; battery meanshoused in said hollow base; electrical conduit means connecting saidbulb in a circuit with said battery means; and switch means connected insaid circuit to actuate said bulb when it is desired to scan printedmaterial with said lamp.

2. The candle lamp of claim 1 including a first hook mounted on each ofsaid housings and a second hook mounted on each of said upstandingmembers for removably connecting said lamps thereto.

3. A candle lamp comprising:

' a body portion having a hollow base and an open top; w

a candle mounted in said open top for illuminating the area immediatelyadjacent said lamp;

battery means housed in said hollow base;

electric lamp means connected with said battery means by circuit meansand movable relative to said body portion;

said lamp means including a housing having an end wall and an electriclight bulb located in said end wall; and

switch means connected in said circuit means to actuate said electricbulb when it is desired to scan printed material with said lamp;

said switch means comprising a mercury switch mounted in said housingand oriented therein in a position to close said circuit means only whensaid lamp is in a scanning position.

4. A candle lamp as defined in claim 3 wherein said housing is shaped toassume a resting position on a horizontal surface in which said switchmeans is deactuated.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 648,673 5/00Schlesinger 2408.18 X 1,265,455 5/18 Knauff 2408.18 X 1,553,860 9/25Hopper 24059 1,609,418 12/26 Nechamkin et al 2402 X 2,415,991 2/47Christian 2406.4 X 2,591,571 4/52 Marino 200-60 2,679,575 5/54Haberstump 2406.4 2,891,235 6/59 Halpert 2408.18 X 2,932,726 4/60 Hunter2402 S 2,995,650 8/61 Kiekaefer 2402 S 3,087,050 4/63 Rubens 2406.4

I FOREIGN PATENTS 251,838 10/ 12 Germany.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

3. A CANDLE LAMP COMPRISING: A BODY PORTION HAVING A HOLLOW BASE AND ANOPEN TOP; A CANDLE MOUNTED IN SAID OPEN TOP FOR ILLUMINATING THE AREAIMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID LAMP; BATTERY MEANS HOUSED IN SAID HOLLOWBASE; ELECTRIC LAMP MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID BATTERY MEANS BY CIRCUITMEANS AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID BODY PORTION; SAID LAMP MEANSINCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING AN END WALL AND AN ELECTRIC LIGHT BULBLOCATED IN SAID END WALL; AND SWITCH MEANS CONNECTED IN SAID CIRCUITMEANS TO ACTUATE SAID ELECTRIC BULB WHEN IT IS DESIRED TO SCAN PRINTEDMATERIAL WITH SAID LAMP; SAID SWITCH MEANS COMPRISING A MERCURY SWITCHMOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND ORIENTED THEREIN IN A POSITION TO CLOSE SAIDCIRCUIT MEANS ONLY WHEN SAID LAMP IS IN A SCANNING POSITION.